The Community Foundation of Boone County is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for Boone County – Ashley Young of Zionsville Community High School and Saige Terwiske of Western Boone County Community School Corporation. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars are known for their community involvement, academic achievement, character, and leadership.
ASHLEY YOUNG – Zionsville Community High School
Ashley plans to pursue a degree and career in aerospace engineering at Purdue University, not only for their world renowned academics but also the student life, community service experiences, and proximity to her family and church. During her childhood, Ashley learned to code, research alternative fuels, draft starships and deck plans, and would dream of ways to explore space. The vastness of space provides her comfort when challenging adversities have taken the forefront in her life.
Ashley is hardworking, friendly, empathetic, and witty. Beyond her love for aerospace, Ashley has many talents including playing the violin and developing web applications. She worked to ensure inclusivity by initiating the renovation of elementary playgrounds at Zionsville elementary schools, and founded local chapters of multiple nonprofits, including United Sound – provides mentoring to budding musicians with and without disabilities to foster their love for music – and National Charity League – strengthens mother-daughter relationships through commitment to philanthropy, culture, and community.
SAIGE TERWISKE – Western Boone County Community School Corporation
Saige aspires to pursue a degree and career in architecture. The universities she is considering, including Notre Dame and Ball State, offer a five-year graduation plan for architecture licensure, along with unique opportunities for internships and study abroad experiences. Saige appreciates that architecture allows her to combine her passions of communication, art, organization, and historic infrastructure. As she shared in her interview, “creating buildings creates community”, so plans to contribute to the success, efficiency, and beauty of her Indiana community.
Saige is known as having a zest and zeal for life that is unlike many young people. She is a natural leader who supports everyone with a loving heart, huge smile, and 110% effort. Not only is she a multi-sport athlete who shows strong work ethic, determination and perseverance, she also serves as a committed community volunteer for multiple organizations, an American Legion Auxiliary Hoosier Girls State Delegate, Senior Class Officer, mentor for younger students, and member of numerous school clubs such as National Honor Society and Key Club.
“Both Ashley and Saige are more than deserving to be named the 2023 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship recipients. While their passions from architecture to aerospace engineering really stood them apart from the other finalists, we want all applicants and finalists to know how strong of a caliber they all held this year. Boone County should be proud to see these examples in our future generations, who so intently give back and help others, all while pursuing their personal goals.”
Each Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship provides for full tuition, required fees and a special allocation of up to $900 per year for required books and required equipment for four years. The scholarship is for undergraduate students studying on a full-time basis leading to a baccalaureate degree at any eligible Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. Lilly Endowment Community Scholars may also participate in the Lilly Scholars Network (LSN), which connects both current scholars and alumni with resources and opportunities to be active leaders on their campuses and in their communities. Both the scholarship program and LSN are supported by grants from Lilly Endowment to Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) and Indiana Humanities.
Year after year, we are beyond grateful to have such a committed team of local community volunteers who dedicate their time and passion to work together through this application and nomination process. We also always appreciate Lilly Endowment and Independent Colleges of Indiana who continue to support higher education in Indiana!
This year, 48 submitted applications were reviewed for the Boone County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program. In determining Boone County’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholar(s) nominees, all applicants are reviewed by a committee of county-wide volunteers who evaluate each student’s community involvement, volunteerism, academic performance, work experience, extracurricular activities and awards, and honors. After the field of applicants was narrowed down, nominees were submitted to ICI, the statewide administrator of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program, which approves the final selection of scholarship recipients.
In addition to Ashley and Saige, Aaliayh Carlisle (Lebanon), Evan Trent (Western Boone), Hannah Fulford (Zionsville), Kaitlyn Lalley (Zionsville), Lucy Gregory (Zionsville), and Rowen Durbin (Western Boone) were also interviewed for the scholarship because of their outstanding academic and personal accomplishments.
Since the inception of the program in 1998, the Community Foundation of Boone County has awarded this scholarship opportunity to 55 Boone County residents consisting of 16 Western Boone seniors, 17 Zionsville Community High School seniors, 16 Lebanon High School seniors, 4 Sheridan High School seniors, 1 Covenant Christian senior, and 1 Indiana Connections Academy senior.
Lilly Endowment created the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program for the 1998-99 school year and has supported the program every year since with grants totaling in excess of $486 million. More than 5,000 Indiana students have received the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship since the program’s inception.
The primary purposes of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program are: 1) to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; 2) to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and 3) to encourage and support the efforts of current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state.
Since 1991, the Community Foundation of Boone County has granted over $28 million from its various funds to nonprofit organizations and programs working to solve critical challenges in Boone County. Through the generosity of donors, the Community Foundation currently holds over $30 million in net assets. In the past 30 years, we have worked with donors to create permanent funds for charitable giving. The establishment and growth of permanent endowment funds will strengthen Boone County for generations to come.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. The Endowment funds significant programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion. However, it maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
Since 1997, Independent Colleges of Indiana has administered the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program statewide with funding provided by Lilly Endowment. Founded in 1948, ICI serves as the collective voice for the state’s 29 private, nonprofit colleges and universities. ICI institutions employ over 22,000 Hoosiers and generate a total local economic impact of over $5 billion annually. Students at ICI colleges have Indiana’s highest four-year, on-time graduation rates, and ICI institutions produce 30 percent of Indiana’s bachelor’s degrees while enrolling 20 percent of its undergraduates.
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF BOONE COUNTY
Since 1991, the Community Foundation of Boone County has granted over $28 million from its various funds to nonprofit organizations and programs working to solve critical challenges in Boone County. Through the generosity of donors, the Community Foundation currently holds over $30 million in net assets. In the past 30 years, we have worked with donors to create permanent funds for charitable giving. The establishment and growth of permanent endowment funds will strengthen Boone County for generations to come.